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Construction workers, UCHealth leaders celebrate milestone

Construction crews working on the future UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital in the Central Park development, east of Lucent Boulevard and north of Town Center, sign their names on a metal beam adorned with a traditional pine tree and the American flag. The beam was raised and installed on one of the tallest spots of the hospital on Feb. 6.

Photo courtesy of UCHealth

Mortenson Construction employees working on the future UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital in the Central Park development install a metal beam adorned with a pine tree and the American flag on one of the tallest spots of the structure on Feb. 6.

On Feb. 6, a massive metal beam topped with an American flag and a small pine tree was craned onto the highest point of the future UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital in the Central Park development, east of Lucent Boulevard and north of Town Center.

"It's supposed to be representative of, you've given the building life," Mike Ross, senior project manager at Mortenson Construction, said of the tree. "It's a symbol of good luck."

Employees of Mortenson, the contractor of the building, and UCHealth leaders gathered in a white tent east of the project, where they signed the beam and watched it soar.

Slated to open in early 2019, the six-story hospital will span across 33 acres of the emerging development, owned by Shea Properties. The $310 million project will include 72 inpatient beds, a two-story cancer center, birth center, intensive care unit, operating rooms, Level III trauma center and emergency department, advanced cardiac services and complete imaging, according to a news release from UCHealth.

“UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital will deliver innovative, leading-edge care and advanced medicine to this community,” said Diane Cookson, president of UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital. “Every person working on this project has a hand in shaping the future of Highlands Ranch and helping to bring extraordinary care closer to home for residents of south metro Denver.”

Central Park is nearing completion — some restaurants and fitness studios in the retail area, east of Lucent Boulevard, are open. Single-family homes and townhomes are filling the eastern portion of the development. And a regional park in the center of the development is beginning to take form.